Winter Wonderland at Kangaroo Kids

Winter Wonderland at Kangaroo Kids

Boost Your Babies Brain Power During Pregnancy

There has been so much research about the importance of a lifetime of fitness.  Recently, thanks to a story at ABC news, research is now suggesting that exercising during pregnancy can help to boost your baby’s brain power!

 No matter what age you are movement should be a part of your daily health and fitness regimen!  Find something you enjoy doing walking, tennis, dancing, going to the gym and then find a friend that enjoys the same activity.  It is more likely you will follow through if you have a commitment with a friend and if you enjoy the type of exercise you select. 

Hope you find this article informative. It shows how vital movement is for humans from prenatal through old age.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/11/11/exercise-during-pregnancy-can-boost-your-babys-brain/

Handwriting Tips

From worksheets to short essays, there are a lot of assignments for your kid to crank out -- and his teacher has to be able to read them. "Despite the increasing amount of technology in classrooms, a child's schoolwork still is mostly handwritten," says pediatric occupational therapist Jan Z. Olsen, founder of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum program. "Teachers think good penmanship is crucial for communicating effectively." In fact, less than half of first- to third-grade teachers said that their students' handwriting was fast enough to keep up with classroom demands, found a Vanderbilt University poll.

If your child is struggling to put his words down on paper, he'll have less energy to focus on what he wants to say. Switching to a computer isn't the solution. Second-graders generated more ideas when writing by hand than by using a keyboard, University of Wisconsin researchers report. A sliver of kids who write illegibly, have a hard time forming letters, or find it difficult to complete written assignments may lack graphomotor skills and may benefit from occupational therapy.

Still, many kids with penmanship problems simply aren't getting enough practice. Bridge the gap at home with these clever ways to start off right.

Invisible Ink

Trace letters and simple words on your child's back and see if she can guess what you're writing. Then, swap and have her "write" a letter or word on you. Focus on the letters that are hardest for kids this age. Another Vanderbilt University study found that j, k, n, q, u, and z account for 48 percent of the mistakes when kids attempted to write the lowercase letters of the alphabet. How-to videos at parents.com/handwriting can help you teach your child these tricky letters.

Get a Grip

Kids who don't hold a pencil correctly may get tired of writing. Slide-on rubber grips, sold at school-supply stores, might help. But try a fun alternative: a small pencil, like the ones used in mini golf. Save them for games of pretend. Tell your child to imagine he's a waiter and have him write down your order. Or encourage him to dress up like a rock star; then ask for his autograph.

Picture This

Take out the markers or crayons and draw a single capital letter on a piece of unlined paper. Ask your child to make the chosen letter part of a bigger picture. She might turn a capital I into a butterfly or transform an O into an octopus. As she decorates the letter, she'll also be focusing on its shape.

Outsider Art

Using sidewalk chalk, have your child write a giant note that could be seen from outer space, then a tiny one for ants to read. (Or if your lawn looks like a winter wonderland, ask your glove-clad kid to write letters in the snow.)

Mail Tale

Buy a notebook and ask your child to keep a journal for a week. Send it to a relative to add comments on your child's week, record a week in her life, and mail it on to another loved one. The last person should mail it back to your child. She'll get reading practice too!

Pick a Winner

Designate one night a week as activity night. Help your child write down stuff he'd like to do on slips of paper and place them in a jar: Suggest games (board, card, or sports), movies, or whatever interests him (building with Legos or baking muffins). When it's time, have your kid choose one and ask him to add a fresh idea to keep the jar fun-filled.

Love Notes

Leave surprise messages for your child -- on her pillow, the bathroom mirror, or in her backpack. End each one with a question, and ask her to write an answer on the back and leave it for you in a surprise location as well.

Minute Man

Get into the habit of asking your kid to write things for you. Dictate shopping lists, have him address envelopes, and jot down reminders on the family calendar. The more practice, the better.

Tools of the Trade

Stock up on office supplies. Collect awesome writing tools (gel pens, scented markers, funny-shaped pencils) and all sorts of paper (lined sticky notes, doodle pads). Stow them in strategic spots around the house. She'll also be more psyched to scrawl if her pencil has a cute eraser.

Originally published in the January 2013 issue of Parents magazine.

Pumpkins provide many learning opportunities

Children at Kangaroo Kids only need to step out their back door to experience the enriched learning experience of growing their own pumpkins.  The pumpkin garden is providing a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about nature, life cycles, agricultural and science.   Kangaroo Kids children no longer answer the supermarket when teachers ask where do pumpkins come from??? 

Visit Kangaroo Kids Child Care Facebook page for some ideas of how you can use pumpkins for a learning experience for your preschooler or visit http://handsonaswegrow.com/40-pumpkin-activities-for-kids/

12 Teacher Terms Demystified

If you ever wondered about some of the terms your preschool teacher uses here is a great explanation from an article in Young Child...

Developmentally appropriate? Scaffolding? Your child’s teacher might use language other educators understand but may be new to you. This list of commonly used early childhood terms can help you understand what the teacher means when she talks about what and how your child is learning.

Approaches to learning: How children become curious about learning new things. It is also how children respond to learning situations. Curiosity about the world, initiative and problem solving, and focused attention and persistence are just a few approaches to learning teachers and families hope to foster.

A teacher might say: “Your child has some wonderful approaches to learning. She’s very persistent when working on puzzles.”

Cognitive development: How children learn to think, make decisions, and solve problems.

A teacher might say: “We want to build the children’s cognitive development, so today we conducted a science experiment, and the children tried to predict the result.”

Constructive play: When children use blocks, LEGOs, or other materials to make buildings or towers.

A teacher might say: “Rebekah made a pretty complicated castle during her constructive play today!”

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP): Teaching strategies that are based on knowledge of how young children develop and learn, what makes each child unique, and the child’s community and family culture and home language. DAP activities are neither too difficult or too easy, but just right. For example, in most cases it is developmentally appropriate to introduce a 4-year-old to the letters in his name, with the expectation that over time he will learn to write his name on his own. On the other hand, it is not developmentally appropriate to ask 4-year-olds to write letters over and over again on worksheets.

A teacher might say: “In this classroom, we don’t believe that worksheets are developmentally appropriate.”

Dramatic play: When children pretend to be someone else, such as a firefighter or doctor, and they make up scenes and dialogue.

A teacher might say: “We’d love to have you bring a few items related to going to work for the children to use in their dramatic play.”

Exploratory play: When children discover how materials work. For example, when playing with water or sand, children explore how to fill and empty buckets.

A teacher might say: “Today Andre discovered how to use a bucket to build a sand castle during his exploratory play!”

Environmental print: The words that are all around us, such as store signs, a menu board, or a poster with the daily schedule.

A teacher might say: “Your child can learn a lot about reading and writing just by seeing environmental print.”

Physical and motor development: How children use their bodies to make large movements with their legs and arms (gross motor) and small movements with their fingers and hands (fine motor). Children learn with their legs and arms when they run, climb, or ride a tricycle. They learn with their fingers and hands when they cut with scissors, use a pencil, or construct a puzzle.

A teacher might say: “We need to support children's fine motor development so we are using playdough to strengthen fingers.”

Print awareness: When children understand how print works. For example, after listening to lots of stories, children notice that letters make words, words make a story, and reading goes from left to right in English.

A teacher might say: “Maritza’s print awareness is developing. She’s picking up books right-side up and is starting to turn the pages of the book herself.”

Self-regulation: How children learn to control their feelings and their bodies. For example, if a child wants to play with a toy her friend is using, she asks for a turn rather than grabbing it.

A teacher might say: “I've seen so much grown in children's self-regulation. At the beginning of the year children sometimes just take a toy they want even if another child is using it. Now I hear them ask if they can use it..”

Social and emotional development: How children learn about feelings. It helps them feel good about themselves and helps them understand the feelings of other people.

A teacher might say: “We are supporting children's social and emotional development by reading books about friendship.”

Scaffolding: When an adult helps children learn at a faster rate and more than they would on their own. For example, when an adult holds a child’s hand as he goes up the slide ladder, the adult is scaffolding his learning to climb.

A teacher might say: “Robert is almost ready to climb up the slide ladder on his own, but not quite. I’ve been helping him by holding his hand and scaffolding his climbing skills until he’s able to do it without my help.”

- See more at: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/12-teacher-terms-demystified#sthash.jpQ7aOH9.dpuf

Source: Adapted from “Talking About Education With Families” by Angel Sancho Passe, Teaching Young Children 6 (4): 6-7 - See more at: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/music-math-more/12-teacher-terms-demystified#sthash.jpQ7aOH9.dpuf

Positive Discipline

Discipline is on an opportunity to teach not to reprimand!  This statement says it best:

Watch for upcoming tips on positive discipline!

A torn jacket is soon mended. But harsh words bruise the heart of a child.

                                                                                               Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Celebrating Children, Building The Future

Week of the Young Child 2013 Theme:

“Early Years Are Learning Years”

The Week of the Young Child is an annual event sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  NAEYC, the world’s largest early childhood education association, has nearly 90,000 members and is committed to providing and promoting excellence in early childhood education.  The primary goal of the Week of the Young Child is to celebrate and bring attention to the unique qualities and needs of young children and their families.   Also, the Week of the Young Child is a time to honor the educators and other professionals who nurture and provide safe, loving educational environments that can greatly impact the lives of young children.  This year’s theme is “Early Years Are Learning Years.” 

The Week of the Young Child was first established by NAEYC in 1971 and honors more than 35 million children nationwide aged between infancy and eight, and the families, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who help children make the most of the opportunities of their early years.  The event was created to focus on the fact that a child’s future academic and professional success has its’ foundations in the care the child is afforded during the formative years (birth through five).   Popular literature illustrates that during these early years children develop essential social, physical, cognitive and communicative abilities and that the level of these abilities are greatly advanced in the presence of constant, responsive and consistent care.  In today’s economic times, where many families have two working parents, the importance of high quality early childhood programs is critical.  High quality interactions include, but are not limited to, sustained and engaged play, open-ended conversations, individualized learning experiences and recognition of the importance of family involvement. 

Approximately 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschool children are regularly in non-parental care in the United States, including 45% of children younger than one year.  Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start and bring lasting benefits to New Jersey.  The Week of the Young Child is also a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.

Kangaroo Kids, a NAEYC accredited school celebrated this special week with a unique schedule of events.  They kicked off the week with special treats for families.  Children had special events all week in their classes, which emphasize the importance of literacy, staying fit and giving back to the community.  The also studied the arts by creating their rendition of famous artists.  Kangaroo Kids also hosted a Scholastic Book Fair to emphasize the importance of literacy. Finally, Kangaroo Kids brought the Week of the Young Child to a close by having an ice-cream social.  A perfect opportunity to enjoy a delicious treat while socializing with classmates and reflecting upon the week! 

You can celebrate the at home every day as well!  Take a moment to read a special book or work on a

cooperative craft or art project.  Be creative paint with a car instead of a traditional brush! Children love helping in the kitchen and will be thrilled to help prepare dinner or dessert for the family.  If you are going to bake something with your child, perhaps you can even make extra and bring the baked goods to a local nursing home, shelter or other community institution!  Community outings are always special and places such as libraries and children’s museums host many family friendly events.  Please don’t forget that the best possible way to connect with your child is simply to talk to them.  Drop the cell phone, put away the computer, get at their eye level and engage your child in sustained conversation.  A free and invaluable way to get into the mind and heart of your child!

If you would like information about upcoming programs at Kangaroo Kids or a list of special activities you can do with your child call 908-231-7800 or email us at staff@kangarookidschildcare.com     

19 Things We Should Say to Our Children!

This is a great reminder of some very special things we should say to our children! Hope you enjoy as much as I did.....
"With our busy, day to day lives, sometimes it is easy to forget to be really present and 'talk' to our children. Of course they know we love them, but sometimes we forget the things that they need to hear, and hear often."

http://thematernallens.blogspot.com/2010/01/they-are-listening.htmlhttp://thematernallens.blogspot.com/2010/01/they-are-listening.html

25 Tips to Encourage Literacy In Young Children

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

25 Tips to Encourage Literacy In Young Children: 

1. Babble back to your infants
2. Encourage conversation
3. Teach site words – McDonalds, Lucky Charms, Barney
4. Speak another language
5. Encourage drawing and inventive spelling
6. Script what they say about the drawings – write their story and make it into a book
7. Fall in love with language, rhymes, songs and role model reading
8. Label your child’s environment
9. Make shopping lists with your child
10. Cook and read recipes together
11. Look for letters on the Menu when you go out to eat
12. Cut pictures out of magazines that begin with a letter you are studying.
13. Make an alphabet book
14. Read a book and then ask children a few questions to test their comprehension
15. Glue letters from an alphabet cereal on a piece of paper.
16. Put alphabet cereal on a plate and help child make their name out of the cereal.
17. Keep magnetic letters on the refrigerator
18. Make up silly songs starting with the letter you are studying.
19. Talk to your child
20. Sing with your child
21. Read to your child everyday
22. Limit television watching and watch appropriate shows
23. Visit libraries and bookstores
24. Select a quality child care
25. Read to children and ask them to predict what will happen next.

Kangaroo Kids Celebrates Chinese New Year!

Kangaroo Kids Kindergarten Class created their very own Chinese New Year Celebration with their language teacher Cynthia Yu.  Preschoolers through Kindergarten children at Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center have weekly lessons in Mandarin Chinese from Cynthia.    This month they celebrated the Year of the Snake Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival.  As a part of the celebration the Kindergarten Class created their own lion masks, a traditional sign of good luck, and then performed a typical Chinese New Year Parade as they danced and sang Chinese songs through the entire school.  Children were thrilled by the performance and it was a great lesson regarding the Chinese Culture.

Kangaroo Kids children had an opportunity to experiment with chop sticks as they consumed the homemade dumplings that Cynthia brought to school.  They also read Chinese stories, listened to traditional Chinese music, received red envelop gifts and tried on authentic Chinese outfits. 

Cynthia Yu holds a B.A degree, and has had formal music training in New York City and New Jersey.  She is also a certified teacher and has more than fifteen years of teaching experiences. She has been teaching music and Chinese language at Kangaroo Kids for the past three years. Teaching is one of her passions for life.   For the past two summers, Cynthia has traveled to Taiwan to participate in mission work, teaching English at the local University and in the country villages.  During the trips she met many local young people and children. She really enjoys sharing her music and language teaching experience with the young people in her home land!

Educating on other cultures helps to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.  For more information about Kangaroo Kids and additional photos of Chinese New Year Celebration visit Kangaroo Kids Facebook page at Kangaroo Kids Child Care and Learning Center.